Farthest Reaches
by Yue's Boy
Summary: A few unwanted feelings and an unnecessary tug of your heartstrings can ruin an otherwise perfect summer's night. But dawn and the beginning of a new day bring shining promise for two old friends destined for something more. Tokka.
1. Evening

**Evening**

She could feel through the indulgingly decorated floorings approximately how many girls were circled around him; this evening's amount toppled last month's record: seven. But Toph wasn't a fan of numbers. She wasn't a woman of logic, but a woman of feeling and instinct.

Her instinct told her that it wasn't a good time to approach him.

Smiling faintly at a passerby, she strolled towards the drinks in the grand hall, eavesdropping on the whispers of civilians commenting on the marvelous velvet rugs and the occasional, "_Look at the gold columns!"_ Some would just nod in response or even mention that it's "not the most extraordinary" they've seen. These were people too puffed up with pride to admit their admiration. Toph smirked, but remembered to keep the sarcasm and sardonic looks at a minimum as Aang had warned. The airbender had reminded her multiple times not to upset the visitors, especially the Water Tribe nobles. The nobles, after all, were the target of this event – impress the nobles, gain their trust. And soon enough, their money, too.

Toph was usually interested in money schemes and raising funds for extravagant missions (usually implemented by an over-eager Zuko). Schemes and plots were entrancing; they called for deceit and trickery, both of which intrigued Toph to no end. The excitement stirred her up and the sneakiness and scandal were treats to enjoy. Yet tonight an aura of uncertainty clouded her mind like an impending storm. With much on her mind, only the muggy twilight air wafting in from the open hall doors reminded her to stay level-headed.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Katara piped in from behind her. Toph twisted around and smiled.

"It would feel better without all the aristocratic chatter clouding up the atmosphere!"

"Come on," Katara beamed, "You have to admit you love hearing all the nobles make fools of themselves." She absent-mindedly pushed a few strands of hair behind her shoulders as she looked on. Her waves of thick hair transcended down her back. It swayed back and forth with every movement she made to see above heads in the hall.

"Looking for someone?" Toph asked.

Katara's head snapped back to Toph. "Oh, just my brother. He said one of the councilmen had a…" she glanced around nervously, precariously tilting her head to Toph's right ear, "_crush on me_."

Toph snorted and threw her head back with laughter.

"Imagine that, sugar-queen," she snickered, "The moment you and Aang hit a rough patch, someone steps out of the shadows towards you. I would probably wait too, if my competition was the Avatar," she added matter-of-factly.

"_Shhhh! _Now you be quiet!" she fidgeted nervously, shifting her shoulders. "Our relationship is nobody's business," she finished, after whacking Toph with a rolled up pamphlet she had received earlier at the hall's entrance.

"Now I'm just saying," spoke Toph, "A couple of dreamy dudes on your tail isn't exactly an unfortunate problem," she scoffed. Katara whacked her again, this time shaking her head with a big grin. "Alright, Toph, just tell me you know where Sokka is!"

"Oh, you know, the usual…surrounded by multitudes of fan-girling romantics practically drooling at the faintest mention of a boomerang."

"I see," Katara broke out through a couple laughs. "So…by the drinks?"

This time it was Toph's turn to laugh. "No, not tonight. He's got work to do in the morning…He was over there by a food table a few minutes ago," she said, recalling the young man's location.

"You sure it was him?" Katara pressed fervently.

"You think I spent years tagging along with you light-weights without being able to memorize who's who?" Toph asked, only slightly offended.

"Geesh, okay, okay. Listen, I'll see you tomorrow afternoon. We're still on for some old-fashioned sparring, right?" Katara playfully mimicked entering a fighter's stance. Toph grinned. "You bet, sister!"

With that, Katara galloped off towards the main food table with glee in her step. Toph admired the way she walked; even with just a few steps, Katara could convey her contentedness. Perhaps a lot of it was in her face, too. Toph regretted that she would never be able to see Katara's famous grin so many people seemed to love. But she shrugged off the thought and walked to the nearest clearing that didn't inhabit any more people.

She eventually found herself on the eastern terrace. It overlooked a small pond and a few woodsy areas – some trees here, a garden there, everything that pertains to a typical terrace. Toph leaned her elbows up against the cold marble railing and let out a long-held sigh. The cold was refreshing against her warm skin. Eager to let her mind meander away from this place, she tried to recall the last time she bended marble. Was it two months ago? Three? There was that sparring session she held with Bumi, but she couldn't be sure if that was marble or limestone, which he honestly pulled out of nowhere. It wasn't like they were standing above a quarry, or –

"Toph!"

She pushed her arms from off the railing and turned around to face the man who had spoken her name.

"Aang, I thought you couldn't make it tonight," she said.

"Yeah…well…" he hopped up onto the railing to sit, "Neither did I." He pulled an apple out of his robes and chomped a massive bite out of it. He was in the middle of chewing when he noticed Toph's frown.

"…What?" he mumbled out.

"You eat when you're nervous," she said flatly. He rolled his eyes and turned his head to look at the quaint pond. "I'm the Avatar, Toph. I'm supposed to always be nervous."

She couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious. She pondered both possibilities.

"Well, y'know," she cleared her throat apprehensively, "You could…uh…talk about it…"

Aang blinked. Then the two of them broke into roaring laughter. Onlookers turned their heads to see them both whooping along. Aang appreciated the hilarity of the suggestion and Toph continued snorting.

"Good one," he laughed. He lifted himself off the railing and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "You were right though, I am nervous. Nervous that these stingy nobles aren't going to donate to Zuko's expedition funds…it'll sort itself out though, I suppose…" he trailed off as he gave her one more pat on the back and walked away. "I better get back to the crowd. Have a good night, Toph," he said as he entered the menagerie of magnificent robes and luscious extravagancies.

"You too," she said to herself, turning back around and facing the pond. She moved her foot forward slightly and two small pebbles lifted up into her hand. She twirled them through her fingers, passing the time inattentively. _What a beautiful night_, she thought. But deep under all the smiles and lavishness, she knew it would be a lie to say so.

For he still stood amongst those beautiful girls, talking and smiling and story-telling with the voice she longed to hear every evening. It was the voice that – as far as she could tell, laying in her somber bed at night – even the farthest reaches of her heart had come to yearn for.

Toph kicked up some more pebbles. "_Beautiful night_," she muttered mockingly. She then overheard a man a few meters away comment to his wife how lovely the air felt. Again she sighed. Perhaps the air, at least, she could agree on._  
_


	2. Midnight

Thank you guys for reviewing and subscribing to this story! This chapter is a little more from Sokka's perspective. I wanted to change it up a little. :) Hope you enjoy! Leave a review if you have any comments or suggestions!

* * *

Midnight

_Later That Night_

Sokka's arms were folded as he stared at the dismal scene in the dimly-lit room before him.

"…Do you think it…hurts?" Toph whispered across the room. She clung to the side of the room's sole bed, resting one arm on soft, white sheets and the other stiffly braced at her side. Her brows furrowed. The Duke lay fast asleep and motionless, except for the rise and fall of his stomach and chest while he breathed deep, difficult, elongated breaths. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead and along his slightly exposed chest. He was an exceptionally muscular man, with broad shoulders and long, athletic legs. But despite a large frame, he still possessed the soft, delicate face of the boy Toph had met years ago.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he's in a deep, comfortable sleep," Aang said forlornly, stepping up to the bed. Although The Duke's injury wasn't fatal, his head was wrapped firmly in a white bandage with one particular area near his forehead bleeding through, producing a circular patch of red. Toph, Aang, and Sokka had listened intently to the nurse's recap of what misfortune had come upon the young man; she told the three about how The Duke had been heading here to the Fire Nation Capital City after a few weeks in Ba Sing Se visiting some old acquaintances.

"The Freedom Fighters," Aang had whispered under his breath knowingly.

"He was actually coming here because he had a job interview," the middle-aged woman had said, stooped by the doorway, "Something about joining the police force. When he was still conscious, he kept repeating it. Delirium I think. 'I can't be late for my interview,' he kept blubbering. Y'know, it's funny, because his helmet was actually inside his luggage when the stray dragon moose plowed into him. Ironic, don't ya think? The one time he didn't have his helmet!" She laughed awkwardly. Her efforts to break the ice were to no avail. They did, however, cause Toph's teeth to grind.

"A dragon moose, huh?" Sokka suddenly exclaimed from his position at the front of the room. Toph, Aang, and the nurse each turned around and looked puzzlingly at Sokka. He scratched the back of his head. "Heh…I'm sure Duke can overcome this in a jiffy. He's pretty tough, right?"

"…It's _The _Duke."

Toph and the others twisted around towards where the voice originated. Toph's mouth broke into a grin as she hugged the smiling man in the bed. He laughed as she then punched him in the arm.

"Uh, right, sorry," Sokka muttered.

"We thought you were a goner," the nurse joked, gently smiling. She strode to the opposite side of the bed and felt The Duke's forehead. "Fever's gone, but you need your rest," she stated.

"I gotta admit," Toph smiled down at The Duke who had finally sat up, "I was a little worried when twinkle-toes knocked on my door and told me you had been hurt."

Sokka frowned, and scratched the back of his head again.

"A little worried?" Aang exasperated, "You went ballistic! You were wondering if we could get Katara to try and heal – "

Toph clenched her first and the ground beneath Aang rumbled. He lost his balance but quickly regained his stance, smiling awkwardly at the people in the room.

"Uh…Heh…" he feigned laughter. Sokka rolled his eyes.

Toph then clapped The Duke on his shoulder and stood up. Aang stepped forward, his long robes gliding behind him. "Should we get out of your way, Nurse?" he questioned.

"That would probably be best," she said to the night visitors. The moon shone bright outside and enveloped the area incandescently as Aang opened the front door of the quaint one-room hospice flat.

Toph, now sitting on the edge of the bed, placed a hand on The Duke's forearm. "I think we'll check in on you tomorrow," she said. The Duke was obviously in dire need of rest, the concussion taking its weathering toll on his body. He nodded gently and laid back down on the bed, letting Toph search for the end of the sheet and then place it back up to his chest. She patted it down around the edges of his torso in a calm, motherly manner.

Aang and Sokka exchanged a glance of bewilderment; in fact, most of the bewilderment belonged to Sokka as Aang eyed him crossly and put a finger to his lips. He motioned for Sokka to exit.

"Come on, guys, we don't want to be any more trouble. Thank you, Nurse."

Toph frowned. The Duke had already drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Sokka pointed at the only street lamp in a row of fifteen that seemed to have burned out.

"Three copper shillings says you can't light it from here, Aang," he chimed, nudging the Avatar with his elbow. Aang turned away from Toph and cocked an eyebrow at Sokka. Toph snickered.

"Sokka, I don't know what could drive you to bet against the Avatar to complete a simple task," she laughed.

"Simple task?!" Sokka jeered, "That street lamp is a good five-hundred feet away!"

"Ladies, gentleman, please," Aang chimed in, "Step back and let the Avatar do his magic."

Sokka glanced at Toph, who folded her arms against her chest, smiling. There they stood, in the center of the empty street, taking simple pleasure in the summer's night air. Aside from a few wind-chimes dangling from the porches of the sidewalk shops, the night air was as silent as it was still. For Sokka, time froze in this moment. _I must have done _something_ right_, he thought. _I must have done something right to be awarded with such great friends. _He remembered that fateful day years ago when he warily approached an odd-looking iceberg with his little sister. Sokka smiled. He then recalled the fateful day in Gaoling when he first came upon his dear friend, the most powerful earthbender in the world; though at the time he didn't know it. Of course, then, he didn't know much at all about the importance of that day.

"Well, Sokka? Are you watching or _not?"_ Aang badgered. Sokka snapped his head back towards his friend. Aang had goofily entered a "fighter's" stance, aiming his body towards the lone street lamp.

"Here, let me get my money ready," Sokka laughed. Aang made sure once again that Sokka was watching and pointed an arm at the lamp. A flame lit atop his index fingertip.

"This one's for The Duke!"

The flame became mobile as Aang shot it towards the lamp. Unfortunately, the flame missed.

Dramatically.

It shot past the small canister atop the pole and landed on the roof of a small, abandoned fruit cart. The cart quickly burst into flames.

"That doesn't sound good," Toph muttered.

Sokka threw his head back in laughter. Aang stared frantically at the small, blazing cart hundreds of feet away, mesmerized with terror. He quickly turned to his friends.

"I'll uh…be right back!"

He sped off towards the bright red mess as Sokka and Toph together roared on. Abruptly, Toph ended the tirade of laughter, indicating that people were coming towards them. Sokka muttered an "Uh oh". The two scurried off to the side of the paved street and cowered behind a vendor's stand. The stand smelled of rotten vegetables.

"Phew, no wonder this stand's empty," Sokka grimaced.

"Well, it _is_ the middle of the night," Toph said. Sokka laughed and Toph had to punch him in the arm to remind him to keep quiet. They sat there for a few minutes in silence. Finally, out of the blue, Toph spoke.

"…I'm worried about The Duke."

Sokka turned his head from watching Aang's tirade and looked at Toph.

"Uh…well, I'm sure he's going to be fine," he said shortly. He glanced into her pale eyes. They were locked on the gravel below them, as if trying to figure out a complicated riddle in the ground. Sokka wondered if she would ever know how beautiful those eyes were, even if she would never use them to see for herself. He had a quick thought that maybe he would tell her. Instead, he averted the subject. _For another time, _he thought.

"It just irks me, y'know," she went on in a soft whisper, "That I can't…I don't know, _be_ there, I guess…"

"For what?"

"For…well, to protect people. Things were so easy back then. We traveled in a comfortable pack, watching each other's backs. Heck, I think we _invented_ the buddy system. It was simpler and no one got hurt with their friends around. And now, it's like we're all spread out around nations and kingdoms and tribes like constellations. I don't know. It's silly."

"It's not silly, Toph," Sokka said. He put his hand on her shoulder. "But things change, you know that." Suddenly the awareness of his hand on her skin overtook him. He looked down and quickly put his hand back in his lap. She was right. Things _weren't _simple anymore.

"I know things change. I just want them to change at my kinda pace, you know? And I hope The Duke is alright." She smiled and touched her left palm to the ground. "Those people left. I think we can ditch this smelly stand now."

Sokka stood up first then patted the dirt off his pants. He held his hand out for the young woman beside him; she took it and pulled herself up. Toph sighed and followed Sokka back to where they had previously been standing with Aang. Somehow two more carts had managed to become engulfed in fire. Appreciating the hilarity of the situation, Sokka couldn't keep in his snickers.

"What'd he do now?" Toph inquired, filled with wonder.

"Hmm? Oh, he just…Hey, one of your hair pin thingies came out!"

Toph touched both her hands to the sides of her long bangs, realizing that her left hair pin had come loose and fallen out. She shrugged. "I've got ten more at home."

"No, don't worry, I'll find it!" Sokka exclaimed. Toph shook her head and giggled as he whipped around and began to retrace her steps. His blue tunic shirt flowed with his every movement, and with every step his bulky sword hilt clunked around. He scuffled around the street for minutes, inspecting anything shiny within the meters from where they had been. Refusing to give up hope, he scuttled over to the isolated vegetable stand.

"_I finally found it!" _he whispered enthusiastically from behind the stand where they had been sitting only minutes ago. Toph laughed and shushed him once more.

He walked hastily back to his companion, waving the pin around in the air.

"Got it," he said, arriving next to her. She grinned.

"I'll cherish it forever," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well let me put it on!" Sokka said, analyzing the hair that had fallen into her round face. He had never noticed how thin her hair proved to be; it fell easily down into her eyes in effortless wisps. "Your hair's falling in your eyes."

"Well maybe that's how I like it," Toph retorted quietly. Her cheeks had turned pink.

Sokka smiled gently. "It'll just take a second…" he spoke. Taking the pin in both hands, he unclamped it. It possessed a simple design; a small streak of gold intertwined in the bronze clamp. His hand found her soft black hair and gently pushed it away from her forehead. He stopped. They stood there, Sokka's hand still floating tenderly on the side of her face, opposite each other for what seemed like an eternity but somehow not long enough.

Was Toph right? Maybe it was a good idea to remain close to the bond that had been formed between the friends years ago. For all he knew, Sokka didn't want to abandon anything he had going for him. And now…he certainly didn't want to abandon this moment. He suddenly found that he wanted that safe feeling Toph had been speaking of only moments before, even if she had been speaking of The Duke. Sokka wanted that companionship, that warmth…that _love. _

_For another time, _he quickly told himself. After all, Toph could feel heartbeats.

Sokka finally mustered his other hand to raise and apply the pin. Toph listened to him breathe as he used one hand to press the strands of dark brunette hair back and the other to gently cup her chin, keeping her head still. In silence, he clamped the pin and stood back.

"…Perfect," he said simply.

Toph was still pink, a soft glow embracing her soft features.

"Well…can you see my eyes now?" she whispered.

"Of course," he beamed, "…Toph…I – "

"What did I miss?" Aang strolled up to the pair, swiping his hands together, removing all dirt and grime. He was out of breath and practically panting.

"Nothing," Toph said.

Sokka turned his head and looked at her, into those eyes, puzzled. _For another time, _he thought.


	3. Dawn

Sorry for the delay, my little Tokka shippers. I'm so glad some of you added this story to your favorites! You guys make writing special :) Here ya go and enjoy!

**Dawn**

Katara snatched the water bottle placed temptingly on the brown wood bench. Her hand brushed briefly against the bench's surface, which was damp from water bottles that had been hastily gulped and spilled atop the aging wood. After all, hydration was critical to benders-in-training, especially on a humid summer morning with the threat of brutal heat on the horizon. The cold thrill of liquid slid down her throat; the water was much-needed. As she drank, from the corner of her eye she could see more benders entering the shade of the courtyard's veranda. Youngsters aged from eight to eleven all swarmed to their own water bottles and various jugs to take satisfying, cool sips. One young boy decided to drain his entire water flask onto the top of his head. His friends laughed as they watched clear drops fall from his soggy brown hair to his shoulders, soaking his indigo shirt. "Whatever it takes to stay cool," a small brunette girl joked at him. He beamed and chortled with the children surrounding him.

"Alright, kids," Katara finally broke in, addressing the crowd, "I'm afraid it's time for you all to get going. Master Kairi needs the area clear for his daughter's wedding reception tonight!" She smiled cheerfully. "We had a pretty great early-morning session, didn't we?"

They looked at each other. Some grumbles could be heard from the back.

Katara frowned and eyed the throng of youngsters critically. "Well, even if it was a little early, great work today, kiddos."

"You didn't forget about our date, now did you, Sugarqueen?"

Katara whipped around and found Toph standing in the center of the training courtyard. She had a hand on her hip and the other balancing a few floating rocks above her palm. They twirled around in perfect uniform circle, silently whirling in the air as if beckoning Katara to come closer. Toph smiled slyly.

Katara put her hands on her hips. "You're late! I told you sparring session at _dawn_. It's practically mid-day!"

"Actually it's quarter past eight," chimed the same class-clown from before. He pointed at a sun dial located conveniently outside the veranda.

Katara shot a glare at the boy. He sheepishly sunk back into the crowd with his wide-eyed friends.

"See, Katara, I'm only fashionably late!" Toph yelled from the clearing.

Katara placed her water bottle down. She stepped into the clearing and bowed.

"Yes, but the early bird gets the worm!" she retorted haughtily, taking a fighter's stance.

"Worms?" Toph spoke condescendingly, bowing back. She then stomped and the grass beside her was unearthed, exposing layers of dirt and mud oozing with creepy crawlers of the most unsightly kind. Katara rolled her eyes. The kids behind her squealed and gagged.

Katara swayed her strong arms to the right with an effortless grace. Two large barrels filled with water shook and were immediately emptied of their contents. The water swirled around in the air before her as Toph grinned. The eager children sat along the shady veranda's edge with starry-eyed looks upon their young faces. They perched amongst the steps and columns like bustling pigeons chirping with each other. "Oos" and "Aahs" erupted in the multitudes. "This is gonna be good!" one sang.

Toph quickly raised her left arm and the earth beneath Katara raised ten feet into the air, sending Katara up with it. Katara immediately recovered, using the boost to avoid the ground and send ice beneath the earthbender's feet. As Katara landed, Toph slipped backwards and would have fallen had she not raised the earth beneath her sliding feet to keep balance.

"Staying airborne to avoid my sight? Cute, Sugarqueen," Toph said irritatingly.

"Oh, stop complaining," Katara sneered, "How else am I supposed to combat the greatest earthbender in the world?" she piped giddily. She decided to stay on the ground, blocking Toph's hurled rock after rock with shields of ice and swipes of swift water blasts. Toph laughed as one innocent pebble hit the waterbender on the forehead.

"Hey! No headshots!" Katara whined. Toph only kept laughing. Katara huffed irately, then twisted around briefly to face her students. "Kids, look away."

They grinned with eyes wide as saucers as they watched Katara take Toph's distraction of laughter as an opportunity to drench her head and shoulders with a whopping water blast. Toph's mouth fell open, agape as she gasped in horror.

"I'm all wet!" she hollered.

"Yeah, water will sometimes do that!" Katara yelled back, laughing with her pupils behind her. Toph fumbled a quick "time-out" sign. She frowned and pulled her golden headband out of her sleek hair. She clenched the moon-shaped diadem in her left hand as she searched around the wet strands with her right hand, attempting to pilfer the two hair pins which previously held her hair in place. Her fingers finally found the first pin, tucked under the soaked black locks.

Suddenly, memories from last night stepped daintily into the back of her mind…she reminisced the moment Sokka had applied the very same pin with a gentle touch that still left her puzzled. She faintly grabbed the next distressed pin, again taking her back to the way it felt last night, like a reminder which plummets one back into the feeling of a previous night's sweet dream. She wished she could just shove the pins back into place and pull them out again to achieve the same déjà vu, yet the feeling was gone. She frowned_. It's because I was only imagining things last night_, she thought. _That's why only a stinking pin can make me feel this way_._ If it was real,_ _I'd at least have a _conversation_ to swoon over like a stupid girl. But?…we did have a conversation. He _listened _to me. No, no. Just a stinking hair pin…_

Toph sulked as she gently placed the accessories on the ground. Watching the powerful bender so tenderly care for a few mere objects, especially ones of the beautifying nature, Katara became perplexed. She tilted her head in both bewilderment and amusement.

"Uh, you ready, Toph?"

Toph, who had been wringing out the top of her newly soaked shirt, ceased her grumbling and faced forward.

"You better believe – "

"What have you done?!" screamed a man from behind the courtyard. He rounded the veranda and approached the two benders. Walking tensely and seemingly with intent to reprimand, he stopped at Katara, who was agape. The kids immediately shuffled and scuffled around each other, swiftly grabbing their water containers and bustling off anxiously to the courtyard. A few nervous whispers could be heard. This time, "uh-oh!" was the only repeated phrase among them. In an instant, they were gone.

Katara found her confidence and faced the obviously irate man. She bowed patiently at him. "Master Kairi," she said.

He hardly noticed her attempt at a pleasant salutation. "What have you done to my courtyard?!" he instead yelled. Frantically he scanned the clearing, and in his bafflement he placed his hands on his face.

"What's the problem?" Toph asked lackadaisically.

The 60-year-old man looked at her with sincere incredulousness. "What's the…problem….?! This is…This is a _water_bending facility!" he croaked miserably.

"And…?" Toph blundered. But as soon as she asked it, she knew what the man was referencing to. _Ohhh, _she thought. She had wondered why the ground was a little mushier than normal training grounds…

More people began to approach the tirade, all with the same incredulous countenances as the man before them. Then it hit Toph. This wasn't just any "Master Kairi", this was _the_ Master Kairi, the one whose daughter was to celebrate her marriage tonight on this very courtyard. "Uh…" she turned to the gawking crowd struck with horror at the mess before them. Several rocks had been disturbed from the ground during the benders' spar, and they weren't exactly pebbles. In fact, the only pebble involved was the spec that hit Katara in the forehead. There were seven rocks utilized, two boulders, and at least four piles of plain old earth: dirt and all. Katara's mess was understandable, and most probably wouldn't even classify it as a mess. Only one barrel had tipped over, and Katara had already begun bending her element back into the barrels anyway. All eyes were on Toph now. She could practically feel them staring at her, those poor souls. Toph cringed, remembering the worms. Again she addressed the group of servants, family members, and wedding-goers; many held stacks of folding chairs in their arms, others carrying quaint little decorations, like pink lanterns and some even with adorably wrapped wedding presents. Toph cringed once more.

"Uh…Sorry."

* * *

Sokka dove two chopsticks into the steaming bowl of noodles. Delightfully he shoved the food into his smiling mouth. It was piping hot, but he didn't seem to care. Hot or cold, the word "brunch" always had a fabulous ring to it.

The café was abuzz with the din of eager morning customers. But contrary to the commotion it accumulated, the café on main square was itself a peaceful building. Soft brown and pastel green embellished the walls, and the hardwood floors smelled of a sweet, musky pine with a heavenly ability to temporarily transport each patron into a woodsy forest haven. Even the service was to die for – smiling waiters brought customers their tea and pastries with a kindness that could brighten even a groggy, non-morning person's day. Perhaps this was the reason the Firelord frequented the location; sitting in a booth towards the back, he always found privacy that his bustling palace, with its array of security guards and vast amount of servants, could never offer.

"You, uh…want more?" Zuko uttered. He sat across from his water tribe friend in their quiet booth; Zuko was ready to wave down the waiter once more in case Sokka indeed desired even more noodles. Zuko swore that man had an endless pit where a digestive system should have been. But Sokka refused politely, sheepishly shaking his head.

"Sorry, Zuko, just put it on my tab."

Zuko rolled his eyes and clutched his drink. The tea had become lukewarm; then Sokka watched as out of nowhere, steam begun to roll above the cup in lovely tresses. Of all four elements, Sokka always found firebending the most mystifying – if waterbending had seemed like magic all those years ago when he first met the Avatar, then firebending was absolute witchcraft. He laughed to himself. Here before him was one of the most powerful, dedicated benders he had ever seen, and Sokka could only think of how remarkable warming tea was. Zuko took his satisfying sip, allowing the warmth to envelop his mouth. He savored the taste with closed eyelids.

"Something funny?" Zuko murmured at giggling Sokka. Sokka ceased his laughter.

"Oh. Nah," he said to the firebender. "Just uh…remembered a joke."

At this, Zuko opened his eyes. He frowned and raised an eyebrow. "Whatever."

"As you know, I'm incredibly busy today," he started, "What with the expedition starting Thursday and all…" he took a napkin and dabbed a drop of tea off his lip. Sokka took a sip of his own tea and stared on curiously, trying to predict in his mind where Zuko was going with this. "You're not kicking me off the team, are you?" Sokka said with hesitance.

Zuko frowned, clearly upset that his friend would suggest this. In penitence, he tilted his head thoughtfully. "No, Sokka. You know I wouldn't do that. No, what I was asking, is that –"

"Oh! You want me to kick Kaito off the expedition. Right. See, I've tried telling him that he can't keep up with this ridiculous caffeine addiction, but –"

"_Sokka!" _Zuko exclaimed. He rolled his eyes. "Would you shut your mouth for one second? That is _not_ what this is about."

Deflated, Sokka leaned back in his seat. He sheepishly dug the spoon into his noodles again. His mouth full, he pressed on. "What, then?"

"This," Zuko said, collecting himself again as he straightened up his muscular shoulders, "Is about us needing more…well…women."

"What?"

Zuko squirmed uncomfortably. "As you know, we are not only visiting Kyoshi Island, but several firenation colonies, many of which are governed by high-ranking, aristocratic women." Zuko paused for effect, analyzing Sokka to make sure he was following. To this Sokka nodded, but his mouth still fell open in slight bewilderment. "Now," Zuko began again, "You could guess how it would look to them if two ships filled with men and headed by a duo of…" Zuko struggled to find a word.

"Jack-asses?"

"I was going to say _males,"_ Zuko hissed. Sokka smiled.

"Anyhow, as you must have heard last night, our trip is about establishing positive ground with areas who have been tentative to cooperation in the past." The firelord grumbled to himself. "_Hmmph."_

"I know why we're going, Zuko," Sokka said with a chuckle, "I read the memo. I don't go on week-long trips with a bunch of burly firebendy men without reading up on the purpose first!"

Zuko frowned.

"So what do you want me to do? Hire some ladies and make them follow us around so we can show them off? Do I pay them? Yeah, I guess we should pay them…"

"You just described a female _escort, _and _no, _that is _not_ what I want you to do!"

"Then what?!"

"Sokka, I want you to ask Toph Bei Fong to accompany us. We just need her to hang around with you and me since we'll be the only ones negotiating and commandeering."

Sokka shifted. "Toph?"

"Yeah. I figured it would be easy for you to ask because of your relationship."

"Our _relationship?_"

"Yeah. Aren't you two best friends?" Zuko asked, puzzled.

"Oh, yeah. We're…yeah."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. His hazel eyes analyzed Sokka up and down with a razor-sharp, prying look. This threatening look of inquisitiveness never failed to unnerve Sokka. Knowing Zuko was on to him, Sokka just laughed nervously. Zuko changed the unspoken subject with a sly subtlety.

"Hmm…Well, plus, she's pretty famous. First metalbender in the world – a woman metalbender," he leaned back in his seat, obviously satisfied with his clever plan, "The Kyoshi Warriors will worship her."

"Yeah, definitely…" Sokka commented absent-mindedly. His thoughts were taken to the previous night with Toph and Aang. In his brooding he wished that Aang had never left Sokka and her alone together, because Sokka was becoming one to turn his back to…well, whatever was brewing between him and the ever-pertinent Ms. Bei Fong. Too many feelings. There was too much going on. _I'm a coward, really. _He discovered that in his desperate attempts to cling to the golden friendship that they shared, he would find himself alone, shut out, and clinging to a different hope – a hope that they could find love without destroying their friendship that had battled the tests of time. _A coward. A coward who won't do anything about his feelings because he's a scared, selfish little kid._

But who wouldn't be scared? Sokka didn't have many nights when he failed to think about the "glory days"; the golden times were always there in the back of his mind, reminding him of friendships and relationships past that could and should have been – and were. So who would want to ruin it? But it wasn't as if Sokka delved on the "Team Avatar" days each night; there were more pressing matters now, and he didn't want to live in the past anyway. It was just that all his most important, enduring friendships were made in those days. So in Sokka's eyes, it was a question of: what do you do when the subject of one of those friendships walks into your life with a new role to play? It was as if Toph stepped onto the stage and held out an entirely new script, one filled with new adventures and hidden feelings that would be extracted from Sokka whether he wanted them to be or not. Did he want them to be? All he could think was, who _wouldn't_ cower in the corner new feelings threatened to take away the thing – the one– you loved? But Sokka knew that love was a strong verb. Perhaps…too strong. A verb not to be thrown around.

Yet that's where the cowardice came in. He couldn't even sum up his feelings into an accumulated sentence. He couldn't even _say _he loved Toph. Did he? He couldn't tell. Where love took residence, Sokka found the exit.

_Coward._

"So do you think it's a good idea?" Zuko pressed, his annoyance clearly present on his stressed facial features.

Coming back to Earth, Sokka fumbled shortly. "Sure," he said, with a failed attempt at sounding enthusiastic.

"You two will get along right? Come to think of it, I remember some fighting here and there between you two over the past couple months. Oh, I don't know. Katara's been telling me – "

"When have you been hanging around Katara?" Sokka exclaimed. Zuko turned bright red. "…Well, it's just that I…we…I…"

Sokka rolled his eyes; he ignored him and slurped up the last of his noodle soup. Zuko composed himself and followed suit, sheepishly taking a sip from his lukewarm tea.

"Yeah, we'll get along fine," Sokka said. A few awkward moments passed.

"So you'll ask her? We are leaving Thursday, you know, and I want everything to be set in stone." Zuko stood up and brushed off his pants.

"Yeah, no doubt. I'll ask her." Sokka did the same. He watched as Zuko looked around, checking if the coast was clear. Fortunately, the patrons seemed too busy with their hot meals to notice royalty among them. Sokka chuckled. They both walked to the counter at the front entrance to the café where customers paid for their meals. The morning sun was just starting to burst in through the windows of the front wall; hues of yellow and red shone on the polished hardwood floors, acting as a natural welcome-mat to happy customers. Sokka trailed behind Zuko and followed him as the man paid a few yuan then subsequently turned around and headed for the back. Sokka was all to used to this; Zuko couldn't use front doors and common entrances where civilians normally went. After all, he was the Firelord, and no Firelord is exempt from public exuberance – or public danger. So the water tribesman followed Zuko just like a puppy until they reached the back exit.

An official-looking man, perhaps the manager of the café, stood on the other side of the brown door. After Zuko pushed it open, he nodded at the man outside.

"Firelord Zuko," the man said. He had bowed politely. "And Councilman Sokka," he bowed again.

Sokka bowed back, blushing. "Well," he bashed, "I haven't been elected yet," he blubbered amorously, giggling like a little kid. Zuko sighed and pulled him by the shirt into the carriage that was waiting for them. They settled down comfortably into their seats. The carriage driver took off around the secreted corner – no one was to know that their Firelord and his friend were cruising by, right under their noses.

The two continued on conversation, talking about daily life and who's and when's and what-not's. Sokka mentioned that The Duke had been injured the night before. Zuko had listened as Sokka explained the head injury, the nurse's explanation, and how bizarre it was that Toph seemed so…vulnerable.

Zuko nodded. "Hmm. So you were jealous, then."

Sokka's uncrossed his arms and flung them to his sides. The movement nearly toppled the carriage over. "What? Am not!" he exclaimed. Zuko laughed under his breath, knowing better. He wasn't a relationship god himself, but he knew a sucker when he saw one.

"Oh ok. Right," he cooed, looking amicably out the window, a grin now wide on his face. Sokka sulked.

After a few minutes, Sokka pushed his window curtain back slightly, eyeing people out the window as they passed by. "Hmmph. Why go to all the trouble anyway, just for a café service you could get at the palace?"

Zuko smiled. "Someone once told me that you can never go too far for a good cup of tea."

Sokka nodded. It was then that the carriage came to an abrupt stop. The pair was located just outside Sokka's home.

"So," Zuko started, "Just make sure Toph tags along. Tell her to pack clothes, money…you know the drill."

Sokka saluted Zuko sarcastically. "Yes sir, Mr. Firelord, Sir. Anything else you need?" He swung open the door to the carriage and stepped to the ground.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Hmmph. Just don't forget. Thursday. Noon. I'll send a carriage over and you and Toph will be taken to the docks. I'll greet you there."

Sokka began to head towards his doorstep. He stood just before it, beaming. "Ah, yes, it'll be just the three of us again, off on a whirlwind adventure!"

Zuko scratched his forming beard. "Uh…when has it ever been just the three of us?"

"Oh, just _go with it."_


End file.
